ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: press · net · object · deal · prune · ground · fine · squash

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. press — to push
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. net — for catching
  6. prune — to trim
  7. object — a thing
  8. press — newspapers
  9. ground — the earth
  10. net — in sport
  11. press — a publisher
  12. ground — a position
  13. deal — to handle
  14. object — to protest
  15. fine — all right
  16. squash — the sport
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. object — an aim
  19. net — after costs
  20. fine — high quality
  21. ground — crushed
  22. prune — to trim
  23. squash — to crush
  24. fine — a penalty

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com